Where is Prof. Ghogomu Paul, and the Ad-hoc Committee?

Prof. Ghogomu chairman of the adhoc committee

Thomas Sowell once said that "some of the biggest cases of mistaken identity are among intellectuals who have trouble remembering that they are not God.” But I will contextualize what Sowell said by adding that Cameroon has a plethora of people who have spent time thinking over nothing yet have assumed too much self importance to the point that they turn to abuse the term “intellectual". Maybe it is their ignorance and prejudices that is allowing false ideas and bad values to work in this country. However, when an intellectual is given the responsibility to do work, many have created the impression that society should not rely on Professors to get things right. I am wondering whether in Cameroon we can rely on some intellectual elite because theirs is to get things wrong.

Nevertheless, what very disturbing is the meaning of what it is to be an intellectual and to do intellectual work. The idea of having some thinkers in Cameroon today, or intellectuals has been proclaimed dead and done away with. So, the beginning of the end of the intellectual as someone puts it is already inhabited in the manner and time Professor Ghogomu Paul, the chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee to look into the grievances of Anglophone teachers,is taking to look into the problems of teachers. At its last meeting that ended in a deadlock, he presented the phenomenal and historic 11 points carved out after leaders of teachers trade unions stormed out of the meeting in Bamenda. He defeated the notion of scientific surveys when he talked about having met students and parents on the prevailing situation. Seemingly, Ad-hoc Committees are now places where opinions go to die.  

Leadership without conformity is very dodgy. After the first meeting in Bamenda, he (Paul Ghogomu) went on the state media to declare that if teachers don’t go back to teach, no meaningful dialogue will take place. Yet few weeks later he and his committee members including Prof. Fame Ndongo hurried to Bamenda without the teachers being in school. As bells ring for the start of second term after an epileptic first term, the need to know how far Prof. Ghogomu, and his adhoc committee have gone with the "frank dialogue" as reiterated by President Biya in his end of year continue to beg for answers. Where is Prof. Ghogomu? 

His crash is all the more incomparable, not just because of its atrociousness, but also for the fact that his two meetings flopped woefully. The most pathetic thing is that having achieved fame as Director of Cabinet (Rank of Minister), Paul Ghogomu should not be the one to ask questions about the Anglophone problem in Cameroon. And whether he did it with purpose and panache or not is not our problem for now.

I once read a book  titled "Think Big And Kick Ass in which the author outlined that “If you believe you can do something, other people will believe it too. Give off the attitude that you are important and worth listening to. If you value yourself, others will respect and value you.”

I am sure the author certainly lived by his own script. But the hard work now begins for Ghogomu to deliver to government the needed results to find lasting solutions to the Anglophone problem that has resulted to the problems of the Anglophones in order to reverse several policies of the Government of Cameroon. As the deadlock persists, Prof. Ghogomu and the adhoc are faced with a multifaceted challenge. The questions many have been asking is whether he has the gargantuan kindheartedness and an enviable tenet to give a listening ear to the fact that teachers want, such as the point that all those arrested and transferred to Yaounde be freed. One point has been met, that is the inclusion of trade union leaders of the South West on the list of Committee members.  Anglophones now look at Ghogomu with diversified views. Some see him as one who could serve as speed break to the Southern Cameroons Cause and to others; he is moving as a snail pace. But one thing is abundantly clear: That he may likely miss the golden opportunity that would have created influence, all his life. Even the most retarded imbecile cannot deny this fact. His failure is incredible in the light of the fact that he might have fallen prey to political manipulations. Teachers’ trade unions leaders recently rejected an invitation from Jacque Fame Ndongo to attend a meeting in Yaounde on December 30, 2016 on grounds that the invitation came late. Could this be emitting end signals for the Ghogomu led Committee?

The Bible teaches us that Prophets were just ordinary and imperfect men that God chose to use and eventually elevated them above the ordinary run of men. The Prophets of old were all involved in the statecraft of Israel; courageously speaking truth to power. A Prophet is a cheerful and powerful giver and God said he is unwillingly to do without such people. Amassing wealth is not part of the Kingdom principle. In Luke 12:33, Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” This is among the hard sayings of Jesus. It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than to hear a pastor preach on this. In another passage of the bible Jesus also told a rich young man, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." He never told him to bring the money to His ministry. When the Apostles recognized the grace that had been given to Paul, James and Cephas and John only advised him to always remember the poor. And Paul said this is the very thing that he was eager to do.  In Ephesians 4:28,Paul admonished Christians that anyone who had been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

 


When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)